Tigers beat White Sox 7-4 on Young's 3-run double

Detroit pulls back to within two games of Chicago in AL Central race with win

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By The Associated Press

Ionia Sentinel - Standard-Ionia, MI

By The Associated Press

Posted Sep. 1, 2012 at 12:58 AM
Updated Sep 1, 2012 at 1:36 AM

By The Associated Press

Posted Sep. 1, 2012 at 12:58 AM
Updated Sep 1, 2012 at 1:36 AM

DETROIT (AP) — Delmon Young gave up a fired-up crowd something to cheer about with a tiebreaking, three-run double in the seventh inning that lifted Detroit to a 7-4 win over Chicago that pulled the Tigers within two games of the AL Central-leading White Sox.

Chicago third baseman Kevin Youkilis simply and quickly shrugged off the setback.

"We've still got a two-game lead, they've still got to catch us," Youkilis said. "The key right now is that we don't want to start pressing. There's 30 games left in the season, and we need to take these games like they are the first week of April.

"If it is the last weekend of the season, you might start pressing but not now. There's a month left and we're in first place."

Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta homered as the Tigers took the opener of the three-game series.

Octavio Dotel (5-2) pitched 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief. Joaquin Benoit struck out the side in the eighth inning and Jose Valverde closed for his 27th save in 31 chances.

Jake Peavy (9-10) gave up six runs and nine hits over six-plus innings.

"I didn't have much at all, so it was a battle from the start to just keep us in the game," Peavy said. "I got through the sixth, but it wasn't like I had great stuff in that inning, either."

Cabrera hit his 33rd homer, a two-run shot in the first inning. He went 3 for 4 on a sore right ankle that didn't affect him at the plate, but made two errors at third base.

Peralta's solo home run gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead in the fourth. Chicago tied it in the sixth without a hit when Dewayne Wise walked, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on A.J. Pierzynski's sacrifice fly.

Pierzynski hit his 24th homer, a solo shot in the second that snapped his 0-for-17 skid.

Andy Dirks drew a leadoff walk off Peavy in the pivotal seventh inning, Cabrera singled and Prince Fielder was hit on the right shoulder by reliever Matt Thornton to load the bases. Young hit a double into the left-center gap to clear the bases.

"The big difference was that Young got the big hit that we didn't get," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We had a lot of chances, but nothing was falling in."

Tigers starter Doug Fister gave up three runs — two earned — on four hits and four walks over five innings.

Drew Smyly gave up one run on two walks while getting one out in the sixth, pitching in relief for the first time after the rookie made 16 starts this season.

Detroit has won 23 of its last 29 games at home.

Page 2 of 2 - The White Sox have lost seven of their last nine road games and if they get swept in Detroit, they'll fall into a first-place tie with the Tigers.

"This is not going to make or break the season," Ventura said. "But we're happy to be playing in games like this."

Detroit manager Jim Leyland agreed.

"We still have a ways to go, but obviously this is an important series without question," Leyland said. "Is it the end of the world one way or the other? No."

NOTES: Peavy walked four — one intentional — and struck out four as his winless streak stretched to five games. ... The Tigers traded OF Jeff Baker to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named no later than Sept. 30 to open up a spot for minor leaguer Avisail Garcia, who made his major league debut as a defensive replacement in right field in the eighth.